On the nature of processes governing defensive burying of aversive flavors and odors in rats

Four experiments are reported which investigated the processes which contribute to the failure of rats to bury fluids that have acquired aversive properties through pairings with lithium chloride toxicosis. Fluids that failed to provide strong olfactory stimulation were avoided but not buried. These solutions, however, produced higher order conditioning of odor-bearing solutions which were buried readily. Various control experiments indicated that these effects depended upon the odorous qualities of the stimulus and not upon simple novelty effects or changes in gustatory stimulation. These data indicate that the inability of aversive gustatory cues to produce burying reflects a constraint on motivational or S-R learning processes.     

TAOISM AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE

Abstract. The seemingly disparate systems of philosophical Taoism and modern biological science are compared. A surprising degree of similarity is found in their views on death, reversion (cyclicity of phenomena), complementary interactions of dichotomous systems, and the place of humans in the universe. The thesis is advanced that these similarities arise quite naturally, since both systems base their knowledge upon objective observation of natural phenomena. Substantial differences between the two systems are recognized and examined regarding verbal argument, machinery, and experimentation. The Taoists' relationship to Chinese alchemy and the biologists' to technology are claimed to mitigate their attitudes toward experimentation.     

Objective and subjective dimensions of travel impedance as determinants of commuting stress

The stressful characteristics of commuting constraints are conceptualized in terms of both physical and perceptual conditions of travel impedance. This study develops and operationalizes the concept of subjective impedance, as a complement to our previously developed concept of impedance as a physically defined condition of commuting stress. The stress impacts of high-impedance commuting were examined in a study of 79 employees of two companies in the follow-up testing of a longitudinal study. Subjective impedance was overlapping but not isomorphic with physical impedance, and these two dimensions have differential relationships with health and well-being outcomes. The physical impedance construct received further confirmation in validational analyses and in predicted effects on various illness measures and job satisfaction. The newly constructed subjective impedance index was significantly related to evening home mood, residential satisfaction, and chest pain. Job change was also influenced primarily by commuting satisfaction. The results are discussed within an ecological framework emphasizing interdomain transfer effects and situational moderators of commuting stress.     

Community Development in Rural Mexico: The Social Psychological Effects of Adult Education1

A field study compared the social-psychological impact of two traditional adult education programs (certification and literacy) with a socio-ecologically oriented approach in three rural Mexican community types (Ejido, Hacienda, Cabecera) varying in structure and degree of isolation. The primary findings revealed interactions between community and program for the luck/fate dimension of locus of control and for a measure of social efficacy. Community type was the critical factor affecting program impact on luck/fate locus of control beliefs: Residents of the most unstructured and isolated community (Ejido) showed the greatest shift toward internality. Program focus produced significant changes in feelings of social efficacy in two of the three communities. The socio-ecological program contributed most to social competence in the Hacienda community, whereas the certification program had the greatest positive impact in the Cabecera community. The findings are discussed in terms of the relevance of the ecological approach to community intervention in developing countries such as Mexico.     

Three post-Vietnam “rap/therapy” groups: An analysis

An analysis is presented of the content and process over a one year's period of time of 81 sessions with three therapy groups of help-seeking Vietnam theater veterans. Data were collected concerning the frequency and content of the symptoms and issues that were discussed, the frequency and relationship of the discussion of current life issues versus Vietnam and pre- and post-Vietnam life issues, the predominant therapeutic themes that emerged in the groups, and the kinds of therapy interventions provided. Implications are discussed regarding the DSM-III inclusionary symptom criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder, and the structure and format to facilitate a combined rap and therapy group process with Vietnam veterans.The opinions of the authors do not reflect official Veterans Administration policy and should not be so construed.     

Defensive burying of aversive fluids in rats: The possible role of odor

Defensive burying of flavored fluids paired with lithium chloride injections was examined. Rats showed little inclination to bury conditioned saccharin or salt solutions (Experiments 1 and 2). However, they buried tabasco sauce or dilute milk solutions readily (Experiment 3). It was hypothesized that the amount of olfactory stimulation provided by a solution may determine whether a rat engages in burying. This hypothesis received support in a final experiment which demonstrated that rats readily buried an arbitrarily selected odorous solution which was previously paired with lithium chloride. Thus the present experiments begin the process of identifying the circumstances under which burying does and does not occur.     

Defensive burying of aversive fluids in rats: The effects of peripheral anosmia

Three experiments were conducted in order to determine the role of olfactory stimulation in defensive burying of aversive fluids in rats. The results revealed that zinc sulfate-induced anosmia eliminated burying of fluids paired with lithium chloride as well as an inherently aversive solution. This occurred despite the fact that the rats avoided consuming them. These data indicate that defensive burying of aversive fluids is governed by olfactory stimuli and confirms an earlier report, which indicted that burying does not occur in response to aversive gustatory stimuli.